THELEAVEN.ORG | VOL. 45, NO. 14 | NOVEMBER 10, 2023
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
Father Nicholas Ashmore, pastor of St. Catherine Parish in Emporia, celebrates a Mass of thanksgiving on Oct. 29 in honor of the parish’s centennial. Father Ramiro Sanchez Chan, CS, director of the archdiocesan office of Hispanic ministry, concelebrated.
A CENTURY AND A SAINT
Emporia parish celebrates centennial with visit of saint’s relics
By Marc and Julie Anderson mjanderson@theleaven.org
E
MPORIA — It’s not every parish that celebrates its centennial with a papal visit. Yet, that’s exactly what St. Catherine Church here, a parish of 400 families, experienced on Oct. 29. No, Pope Francis did not fly to Kansas. Instead, the parish experienced the visit of a significant relic — one of the last four vials of blood drawn from Pope St. John Paul II. The relic wasn’t the only highlight. Festivities began at noon with the celebration of Mass in Spanish by Father Nicholas Ashmore, the current pastor, and concelebrated by Father Ramiro Sanchez Chan, CS, director of the archdiocesan office of Hispanic ministry. A meal for all parishioners followed the Mass. Originally, games and activities were planned outside for both children and adults. Due to the cold weather (at one point, it was snowing), many people
opted to take food to go or stayed inside the “little church,” which served as the parish church prior to the dedication of the current one in 2001. During the meal, parishioners shared memories and viewed photos from the parish’s history. Parishioners also had the opportunity to learn about St. John Paul II from signs placed on the grounds. Later, Father Ashmore welcomed the relic, leading a procession beginning outside at a nearby intersection and ending inside in front of the main altar. In a scene reminiscent of St. John Paul’s first missionary visit to Mexico in January 1979, parishioners lined the route and filled the church, singing while waving red and yellow flags. The relic, one of four, was brought by the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary, a religious community of Sisters founded in 1990 in Miami by Mother Adela Galindo. The community includes a group of Brothers founded in 2021. Due to Mother Galindo’s >> See “EVERYBODY’S” on page 7
LEAVEN PHOTO BY MARC ANDERSON
Father Nicholas Ashmore leads the procession of a first-class relic of Pope St. John Paul II. The relic is a vial of blood drawn from the late pontiff during one of his last trips to the Gemelli Hospital in Rome in 2005. Three other vials of his blood are known to exist in the world with one being in his native Poland, one in Washington and one in Spain. This particular relic is a “missionary” or traveling relic and has been entrusted to the Servants of the Pierced Hearts of Jesus and Mary.